Perhaps the only hopeful thing to come out of this shameful veto of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and the members of Congress who failed to vote for the override is that this will do more to damage the Republican Party and the White House than anything else they have done so far.

My heart aches for the poor children who are going to suffer and die because of this mean-spiritedness, but maybe these congressmen had to stick their necks in the noose in order to make more people aware of the heartlessness of this crony administration. My hope is that their lack of compassion hasn’t happened in vain, but will be the catalyst for more people to take action.

I’m urging people to start writing letters, call your representatives, and get involved with activist groups. You will not only be responsible citizens; you could be saving children’s lives.

Sharlene White, Santa Fe, N.M.

Re: “Congress should find the courage to renew SCHIP,” Oct. 18 editorial.
If the claims in this editorial are based on fact, The Post is missing some great stories: the research proving that children (or adults) with insurance are healthier, i.e., have fewer illnesses or injuries; an exposé of physicians refusing to see patients without insurance; actual statistics for ER visits by uninsured vs. insured; effects of ER utilization since the emergence of 24/7 acute-care clinics; or an explanation for the number of children currently eligible for SCHIP who are not enrolled.

How about articles on the reasons for rising health care costs and, consequently, the cost of insurance premiums? Why else would the mostly healthy, under 45, uninsured population choose to pay for care at the time of service rather than from their monthly budgets?

JoVonne Fitzgerald, Denver

Shame on the three utterly spineless Republican members of Congress from Colorado for siding with a popularly repudiated, hypocritical and lying president and upholding his completely immoral veto of SCHIP.
I predict that Reps. Marilyn Musgrave, Tom Tancredo and Doug Lamborn will be reading the want ads after the November 2008 elections and all three of them will actually have to work for a living. What ever happened to a “compassionate conservative” and “no child left behind”?

“Compassionate Conservative” is an oxymoron. They show contempt toward poor children, the homeless, the elderly, those on social security, and those of differing sexual orientation with equal tenacity. In the case of providing more health care for the neediest and most helpless of our people, the costs would cut too deeply into the funding for our perpetual state of war.

Judge Joe

“Compassionate Conservative” is an oxymoron. They show contempt toward poor children, the homeless, the elderly, those on social security, and those of differing sexual orientation with equal tenacity. In the case of providing more health care for the neediest and most helpless of our people, the costs would cut too deeply into the funding for our perpetual state of war.

Dave

There is nothing preventing doctors from treating children now, even those without health insurance.
Health insurance is not health care; it doesn’t even insure health care. Its only purpose is to insure that people in the medical profession get some money out of it. And I don’t think it should be the government’s responsibility to guarantee a doctor’s income.

Dave

There is nothing preventing doctors from treating children now, even those without health insurance.
Health insurance is not health care; it doesn’t even insure health care. Its only purpose is to insure that people in the medical profession get some money out of it. And I don’t think it should be the government’s responsibility to guarantee a doctor’s income.

Jamie

Shame on the Republicans who found lame excuses to turn their backs on American children while continuing to pour money into another country’s civil war. I can only hope that someday you are forced to see a love one go without medical care due to heartless thugs such as yourself.

Shame!!

Jamie

Shame on the Republicans who found lame excuses to turn their backs on American children while continuing to pour money into another country’s civil war. I can only hope that someday you are forced to see a love one go without medical care due to heartless thugs such as yourself.

Shame!!

D. Terron

I just wonder if Tancredo the loving child of the racist people in this state voted against the bill.

D. Terron

I just wonder if Tancredo the loving child of the racist people in this state voted against the bill.

Tim

I’m sorry I have to comment on this. What has happened here is a carefully crafted political ruse thought up by the Democratic Party Leaders.

They have chosen to inflate the program to include much of the middle class rather than concentrate on taking care ofthe poor children the program was created to help. This ruse has put a great program in jeopary to advance the larger political battle.

Let congress bring a CHIPS program (only) renewal bill with a modest cost of operations increase and watch the bill fly through congress.

Don’t let the Party Leaders dupe you anymore. Do the research before spouting such nonsense.

Tim

I’m sorry I have to comment on this. What has happened here is a carefully crafted political ruse thought up by the Democratic Party Leaders.

They have chosen to inflate the program to include much of the middle class rather than concentrate on taking care ofthe poor children the program was created to help. This ruse has put a great program in jeopary to advance the larger political battle.

Let congress bring a CHIPS program (only) renewal bill with a modest cost of operations increase and watch the bill fly through congress.

Don’t let the Party Leaders dupe you anymore. Do the research before spouting such nonsense.

Pam Myyers

Bush stated that he would veto any plan that allowed adults to be covered before 90% of the eligible children were enrolled.

Is this against children or against an attempt to sneak in government sponsored health care for young adults and thus accustom them to getting their health care covered by the government, read taxpayers. No matter how pretty the dress, the wig or the makeup, the pig of socialized medicine is rejected by the majority of Americans.

With all the whining,and lying about what their intentions were in this bill it is simple to get one passed. Cover poor children, not young adults making 4 times the poverty level, not children whose parents already have coverage for them and not those young adults who are capable of paying for their own insurance but fail to do so because it is not a priority. Expand the income levels, but not before those with the lowest incomes are protected. Expand the coverage to at-risk adults after the children are enrolled.

See. Simple. It just doesn’t advance the cause of socialized medicine if you do it that way. Do it anyway.. For the children.

Pam Myyers

Bush stated that he would veto any plan that allowed adults to be covered before 90% of the eligible children were enrolled.

Is this against children or against an attempt to sneak in government sponsored health care for young adults and thus accustom them to getting their health care covered by the government, read taxpayers. No matter how pretty the dress, the wig or the makeup, the pig of socialized medicine is rejected by the majority of Americans.

With all the whining,and lying about what their intentions were in this bill it is simple to get one passed. Cover poor children, not young adults making 4 times the poverty level, not children whose parents already have coverage for them and not those young adults who are capable of paying for their own insurance but fail to do so because it is not a priority. Expand the income levels, but not before those with the lowest incomes are protected. Expand the coverage to at-risk adults after the children are enrolled.

See. Simple. It just doesn’t advance the cause of socialized medicine if you do it that way. Do it anyway.. For the children.

Ann Molison (Fort Collins)

Musgrave’s proposed SCHIP alternative is not worth the paper it was written on. She (and collegues) pay for their health insurance for those with 200% above poverty level with tax credits for those who sign up for private insurance.

The figure of 200% is the same as that which covered Colorado children and families in the original SCHIP bill she voted against. That dollar amount is $41,300 for a family of 4 with two children under the age of 18.

Would a family with less than an income of $41,300 need any tax credits? Do they pay taxes? And, if so – would this cover the total amount of what someone would have to pay for private health-care insurance. I doubt it.

It was ill conceived and it just promotes the premise that we all have to have private health insurance.

Her actions on the SCHIP bill will be the gift that keeps on giving to Democrats a year from November.

Ann Molison (Fort Collins)

Musgrave’s proposed SCHIP alternative is not worth the paper it was written on. She (and collegues) pay for their health insurance for those with 200% above poverty level with tax credits for those who sign up for private insurance.

The figure of 200% is the same as that which covered Colorado children and families in the original SCHIP bill she voted against. That dollar amount is $41,300 for a family of 4 with two children under the age of 18.

Would a family with less than an income of $41,300 need any tax credits? Do they pay taxes? And, if so – would this cover the total amount of what someone would have to pay for private health-care insurance. I doubt it.

It was ill conceived and it just promotes the premise that we all have to have private health insurance.

Her actions on the SCHIP bill will be the gift that keeps on giving to Democrats a year from November.

pauly

Tom, Pam Myyers

I’m trying to figure out if your ONLY listen to FOX news and Rush or were you both bold face lying!?!

The SCHIP is not socialized healthcare for poor people…that’s what Medicaid is for. And that seems to be working out well enough. The SCHIP is for moderate to low income families that get slammed with huge heath care bills that would drive them into poverty. Personally I think it’s about time there something good comes along for the middle income person.

SERIOUSLY!! About 20 minutes of your time to read the actual bill would have answered all that for you. But you still rely on the republican hacks to feed you lies to help you…what…fell good?

I only make 51,000 a year and I’m having a hard time making ends meet. If I were to get into an accident I know I would be covered because of my engineering position. Being single I know I could bounce back. But if I had kids to support, payments that comes along with those kids and a wife who may/may not be working to support as well. Well an accident would drive me out of my house and into the streets. This bill would help people in those positions. This bill helps to keep families off the streets…and you supported the VETO…shame on your ignorance and or coldness.

I have friends who make about the same as me but their jobs don’t even offer those kinds of benefits. What do you think would happen if they had complication on a birth? How about an accident? The bills that people face today are staggering and would put these kinds of people under…AND YOU KNOW IT!!!!

This bill was NOT for poor people…it was for people of moderate means and without healthcare insurance.

So I have to ask…did you support the 45 billion more that Bush is asking for this failed invasion in Iraq? If so, where will we get that money from?

pauly

Tom, Pam Myyers

I’m trying to figure out if your ONLY listen to FOX news and Rush or were you both bold face lying!?!

The SCHIP is not socialized healthcare for poor people…that’s what Medicaid is for. And that seems to be working out well enough. The SCHIP is for moderate to low income families that get slammed with huge heath care bills that would drive them into poverty. Personally I think it’s about time there something good comes along for the middle income person.

SERIOUSLY!! About 20 minutes of your time to read the actual bill would have answered all that for you. But you still rely on the republican hacks to feed you lies to help you…what…fell good?

I only make 51,000 a year and I’m having a hard time making ends meet. If I were to get into an accident I know I would be covered because of my engineering position. Being single I know I could bounce back. But if I had kids to support, payments that comes along with those kids and a wife who may/may not be working to support as well. Well an accident would drive me out of my house and into the streets. This bill would help people in those positions. This bill helps to keep families off the streets…and you supported the VETO…shame on your ignorance and or coldness.

I have friends who make about the same as me but their jobs don’t even offer those kinds of benefits. What do you think would happen if they had complication on a birth? How about an accident? The bills that people face today are staggering and would put these kinds of people under…AND YOU KNOW IT!!!!

This bill was NOT for poor people…it was for people of moderate means and without healthcare insurance.

So I have to ask…did you support the 45 billion more that Bush is asking for this failed invasion in Iraq? If so, where will we get that money from?

Vincent Carroll is The Denver Post's editorial page editor. He has been writing commentary on politics and public policy in Colorado since 1982 and was originally with the Rocky Mountain News, where he was also editor of the editorial pages until that newspaper gave up the ghost in 2009.

Guidelines: The Post welcomes letters up to 150 words on topics of general interest. Letters must include full name, home address, day and evening phone numbers, and may be edited for length, grammar and accuracy.

To reach the Denver Post editorial page by phone: 303-954-1331

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